Chronicle: Can Lorenzo help Márquez after 2015?

In 2016, Jorge Lorenzo said ‘goodbye’ to Yamaha to embrace a new challenge. At the time, the spaniard wanted something really difficult for his career after having already won five world titles, while he had a perfect opportunity – and well paid by the way – to try something that Ducati hasn’t achieved since the Stoner era: to win a world championship.

However, time passed and Lorenzo’s adaptation was more complicated than initially expected. In 2017, the rider won three podium finishes and this raised expectations for a promising 2018. The truth is that hopes fell to the ground in the first races and this influenced the negotiations that were based on the renewal of the contract. With the completion of the tests, the renewal was getting further and in Mugello the decision seemed to be practically taken.

The victory at the Italy GP hasn’t changed. In the following days, Lorenzo was made official as a Honda rider after this had announced that it wouldn’t renew his contract with Dani Pedrosa. However, with Lorenzo being Marc Márquez’s next teammate, it is legitimate to question the role of the rider in the championship fight. In fact, Lorenzo is pretty much out of any title fight, but he still has the ability to fight for victories… and that may be more complex than it actually seems.

Before the paddock arrives in Catalunya, Lorenzo is tenth with 54 points difference to Marc Márquez. On the other hand, Dovizioso is fourth with ‘only’ 29 points for the leader of the championship. It turns out that if the glory achieved in Mugello happen again a few times, which is expected given that the change that helped the mallorcan in Mugello is a matter of comfort on the bike, with a change in fuel tank and that will remain until the end of the season, Lorenzo could be a real headache for all those who are more likely to fight often for the title. The problem is when one of these people is Andrea Dovizioso.

Although the title can hardly be within reach, Lorenzo still manages to reach out to his teammate. For now, the efforts of the spanish must go in that direction but for this to happen, Dovizioso will have to lose ground to the #99 and, consequently, to Marc Márquez. With just six races completed, it is easily noticeable that this ‘internal fight’ could facilitate Marc Márquez’s work in winning yet another title.

Although aware of this dilemma, Claudio Domenicali – boss of the Ducati – said that the factory of Borgo Panigale will do everything to put the spanish to fight for victories, while wanting to have Dovizioso in a similar position. At the start, Dovizioso can also win with this ‘sports growth’ demonstrated by Lorenzo and Mugello is a result of this. However, if Jorge places himself directly into Márquez and Dovizioso, the effect may not be the most desired for the #04.

That being a possibility, the Ducati will have to clarify the situation of Lorenzo within the own equipment until this one moves to the side of the ‘enemy’. If that doesn’t happen, the Ducati risks losing one more world title in a season where chances don’t play in their favor.